#48 Wheat – Be Brave

Souless self-promotion doesn’t seem to be in Wheat’s handbook; in fact if ever there was a band that let the music talking this would be it. They now have 3 albums behind them and each release sees them getting progressively more ambitious. ‘Be Brave’ comes from the middle album ‘Hope & Adams’ and beautifully exhibits Wheat’s intentions. The opening straddles a fine line between low-key feedback and rising intensity until inevitably it engineers a thundering montage of lashing drums and lacy guitars. At intervals Scott Levesque voice breaks the door down delivering a single refrain only ‘standing on high facing love try what are you going to do’. Together he and his band portray the chaotic and often awkward situations experienced on the way to happiness. With Dave Fridman (Mercury Rev, The Flaming Lips) on production was it ever gonna be any other way? KD